Will I Get An "A" If I Sit In The Front Of My Classroom?

Location! Location! Location!

It’s the first day of school, and your teacher tells you to find a seat in the classroom. Where do you sit? Does it matter? Yes! It does matter where you sit in your classroom, so choose and choose carefully! Studies report that where you sit in the classroom can impact your ability to learn and the way your teacher perceives you. Guess what else? Your grade!

We tend to be creatures of habit. Where we sit in the first few days of class will most likely be where we’ll sit for the rest of the session. Once you get comfortable with your chosen seat, you’ll tend to return to the same spot every day. Even when there are no assigned seats, chances are you will probably sit where you have been sitting. If you decide that you want to move to a different seat, chances are you’ll resist. It’s funny, but if and when you do build up the courage to move, you’ll most likely get a glare from the person whose chair you took as well as from those around you.

So what is the best seat in the classroom?

In one study, students who sat in the front and center of the classroom received a higher grade average and scored higher on tests than those sitting towards the back of the classroom. Get this! Students seated in the middle seats of the classroom, also out scored students sitting behind them and so on. This study gathered that students had a clearer vision of the blackboard, were able to focus more attention to the instructor due to fewer distractions, and by sitting front and center, students were also able to hear better. The instructors said, that they also formed a better connection with the students who sat in front. Perhaps the connection is made because of eye contact and visibility and more interaction.

Downfalls of sitting in the front row

If you are extremely shy, should you sit in the front row? When you sit in the front row, you may be called on more by your teacher, mainly due to the fact that you are easier to see. For students who are not prepared and for those who are extremely shy, the attention could cause some unwanted stress on those types of students.

Natural Selection

Is it possible that the students who naturally excel and want to be more engaged are the ones who chose to sit in the front row? Perhaps the students who just want to get by sitting further back? Studies show that even when students are given a seat assignment, the students sitting in the front row still test better than those sitting behind them.

So the next time you start a new class, remember to sit in the front and center of the classroom for a little boost on your GPA. You might also get to know your teacher better and gain a friend.

Where do you prefer to sit in your classroom? As a teacher, do you perceive your students differently based on where they sit in your classroom? What is your opinion towards classroom seating?